The star of the show here is indeed the meatballs, as such, it’s important we discuss how to make the most insanely delicious meatballs. I’ve got a detailed post on Homemade Meatballs so definitely check that out, but in summary, here are my 3 top tips for juicy meatballs.

How to make the best meatballs

Use a Panade (mixture of starch and liquid that you add to meat to keep it moist).

Use a combo of pork and beef, make sure it’s non-lean and don’t overwork it when making the meatballs.

Don’t cook them all the way through, allow them to finish poaching in the sauce.

Arguably the most important step is using a panade. This ensures the meatballs stay nice and juicy during and after the cooking process.

How to make a panade for meatballs

How to roll meatballs

When it comes to rolling the meatballs, I recommend getting a tbsp, scooping out all the filling (so you have equal measurements), wet your hands and then roll them. This is the most efficient way and ensures your meatballs are all a similar size.

How to cook meatballs

I discuss this in a little more depth in my guide to perfect meatballs, but the best two methods are either frying or grilling/broiling. Both options allow you to get a nice browning on the outside, whilst not cooking the meatballs all the way through. This in turn allows them to finish cooking by poaching in the sauce.

Meatball Sauce ingredients

Because you’ve browned the meatballs, as they poach in the sauce they’ll inject so much more gorgeous flavour as well.

What Cheese to use?

For this recipe I always use cheddar. You could also do half and half cheddar/mozzarella if you want some extra cheese pull 😋

What Pasta to use?

I LOVE rigatoni in this pasta bake, just for the pure fact that the tubes are wide enough for the sauce to settle in. Any other short cut pasta would work though. Whatever you choose, make sure you only just cook it until al dente. You want it still a little bit hard before you combine with the sauce.

How To Make Meatball Pasta Bake (Full Recipe & Video)

This Cheesy Meatball Pasta Bake Recipe is one your family is going to absolutely LOVE. So easy to make and even more delicious to eat!

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Western

Keyword: Meatball Pasta Bake

Servings: 5

Calories: 689kcal

Author: Chris

Ingredients

Meatballs

9oz / 250gGround Beef (15%+ fat)

9oz / 250gGround Pork (15%+ fat)

2thin slices ofWhite Bread, cubed

1/4 cup / 60mlMilk

1/4 cupFresh Parsley, finely diced

1/2 cup / 35gParmesan, finely grated

1mediumWhite Onion, grated

2cloves ofGarlic, grated/minced

1tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/2tspdried Oregano

1Egg

3/4tspSalt

1/4tsp Black Pepper

Meatball Sauce

24oz / 700gTomato Passata (pureed tomatoes/tomato puree in the US

2x 14oz/400gcans ofChopped Tomatoes

8Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely diced

1mediumOnion, finely diced

2cloves ofGarlic, finely diced

1/4 cupFresh Parsley, finely diced (plus extra to garnish)

1/4 cupFresh Basil, finely diced

Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

Plus:

10.5oz / 300gRigatoni (or other short cut pasta)

1.5 cups / 150gCheddar, grated (or cheese of choice)

Olive Oil, for frying

Method

Soak bread in milk, onion, garlic and Worcestershire sauce and mush with a fork. Stir in your parsley, parmesan, oregano, egg and seasoning. Gently work in your pork and beef, then form your meatballs. Make sure you don't overwork the meat.

GRILL/BROIL: lightly spray with oil then pop under grill for 6-10mins or until golden brown. Flip once half way and shake about to evenly cook. Make sure you get a nice colour on them, they don't need to be cooked right through, they will finish poaching in the sauce.OR FRY: heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and fry for 4-5mins or until golden, shaking frequently. Again, just focus on getting colour and don't worry about being cooked right through.

Fry onion, garlic & sun-dried tomatoes until soft, then pour in your passata & chopped tomatoes. Add parsley, basil & seasoning, then add your meatballs. Simmer for 15-20mins, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water until JUST al dente. You want it still a bit hard.

Combine with pasta in a baking dish, top with cheese and bake at 200c/390f for 15-20mins, or until golden and gooey.

Watch how to make it!

Recipe Notes

a) Perfect Meatballs - Check out my guide to the best homemade meatballsfor a more in depth review on how to get soft and juicy meatballs.

b) Best way to form meatballs - Grab a measuring tbsp and scoop out all the filling (just so they all turn out being equal size), wet your hands then roll them in to balls. This is a much more efficient way in comparison to rolling them out one by one.

If you loved this Meatball Pasta Bake recipe then be sure to Pin the recipe for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!

Chris

Hey, I'm Chris! Thanks for stopping by. I believe that good food should bring a smile to your face and hug your soul with every bite. Here you'll find fun and delicious comfort food that even the most beginner of home cook can master. More from me? Just click the pic!